STETHS in control

Rain and the declining fortunes of Holmwood Technical on a difficult wicket at Alpart Sports Club appear set to tip a fourth straight Grace/ISSA Headley Cup title St Elizabeth Technical's (STETHS) way.

Holmwood were left fighting an uphill battle after the lethal combination of rain and a suspect wicket yesterday left them on 126 for nine, still 87 runs short of STETHS's first innings total of 213. Play was completely washed out after 2 p.m., leaving an unrealistic chance of the game requiring another innings to decide the 2010 champions.

Aggressive batting

With a similar forecast for early showers on today's third and final day, Holmwood's chances hinge on a miracle.

Opener Marlon Pinnock started in aggressive fashion, hitting three fours and a six off pacer Nicholson Gordon, a member of the West Indies team which finished third at the Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand. Pinnock would hit another four off medium pacer Damion Reid. However, Reid, whose style best exploited the nature of the wicket, got Pinnock's wicket for 25 with the score on 34.

Reid finished with good figures of four for 11 off 10 overs, with Nelson supporting well with 3 for 46. There was one each for Gordon and Burton.